Always
by purinsesu-sereniti
Summary: Stars ending scene rewrite. Well, the end of the battle. Manga version.


Fear was creeping up and settling in, but she could not let it show. She could not let it take over her heart and stop her from doing what she had to do. She was utterly alone… Tears filled her eyes and overflowed, spilling down her cheeks as she lay there, weakened beyond belief, but not yet defeated. In her hands she clutched to Galaxia's brooch, the last remaining piece of her. She too had been nothing more than a pawn to the darkness, a fellow senshi… And now she too was gone, lost into the cauldron. "I won't give up… Everyone, everyone believed in me… So, I can't give up." She murmured aloud to herself, head snapping up, hand clenching into a fist as the brooch turned to dust in her palm. "I will make a future for my friends. This won't be our end. The end of a battle always brings hope… Hope for the future." She sat up, turning towards the little senshi hovering just behind her, her words echoes of the ones Sailor Saturn had said to her so long ago. At once, Usagi reached out, grasping the little girl by the shoulders, a teary smile appearing. "Trust me, our future can never disappear. So long as the stars shine, we'll be fine. We won't lose." The child blinked, looking as if she too might begin to cry. She nodded, her soft "okay" barely reaching Usagi's ears.

Behind them, they both heard the rumble of evil as the monster was stirring once more. Chaos longed to feed upon the power of the silver crystal; Usagi could feel him watching her, waiting for the moment that he could dissolve her body and claim the crystal. Her eyes looked up, blue orbs taking in the vast expanse of space surrounding her, blackened with the evil of Chaos. Everyone she loved… They were all gone, lost to this creature. But there… Below her, within the cauldron, she could see the sparkling shine of hundreds of star seeds. A small smile appeared and she felt the warmth within her own heart- that's right, she wasn't alone. She was never alone. Not really, anyways. Turning back, she gazed upon the small child, pink-haired and reaching for her. "I won't ever give up, so don't you give up either." In an instant, in the very blink of an eye, she was changing and Usagi found it was like staring into a mirror. The little bouncing curls were now long and flowing locks of silver, doubled odangos looking more like hearts than anything else. Tears clung to the woman's lashes as she briefly touched her lips to her cheek, a warm, inviting smile resting upon her perfect features. "Chibi… Chibi…?"

But, there was no time for words; Chaos was growing, the darkness deepening. Usagi knew she had to act fast. Sailor Moon! The cauldron will be your final resting place! Come, come witness the birth of the ultimate Chaos Star! He was antagonizing her, taunting her… It would not work. She no longer knew fear. There could be no fear in her heart if she truly wished to save her friends and the entire galaxy. It was all up to her. Just her and the silver crystal. She could not stop herself from turning back, just one last time to the senshi behind her. There were so many questions that would be left unanswered, but in her heart, Usagi knew she would know all someday. The woman reached out, grasping her hands, as if to offer her one last touch of comfort before the final battle began. Usagi stepped out onto the edge, her toes hanging over, her hair billowing out behind her. Chaos was growing, rising up, preparing to strike. Usagi lifted her hands up, wrapping her arms around herself, thoughts racing; now she understood everything. She knew why so many enemies had come after her power. Now she understood why they had done what they had done. It was the same as her wanting to be with her friends- because they were lonely. They sought out others to be as one, whether they were comanding minions or destroying humans. The enemies she had fought had only wanted power to make the entire galaxy theirs, to have power that filled them up because that was all they had. Power was their only friend. And so… That was why she had to stop this madness, that was why she had to win and restore the cauldron to its former glory. This was the birthplace of stars, not evil. People were not born evil, but made evil. Twisted by power and corrupted by jealousy and greed. To save everything… She would have to stop Chaos by trapping it within the cauldron and sealing it away.

Without another thought, she took the single step it took, and began to freefall from the edge. I don't know if I can… But maybe… Their faces all began to flash before her very eyes. First her friends, her most precious friends. And then there was Mamoru and of course Chibiusa. They were all counting on her. But, she needed their strength. She was falling through the thousands of star seeds, each one flashing at her very presence. Reacting to her own crystal. Please! Senshi of the galaxy, senshi who sleep inside this cauldron… if you can hear me… please, give me the power!

At once she felt it, the power that was slowly growing. She felt them all- not just her own senshi, but all of them. Their powers were filling her up to the very brim, threatening to spill over. It was only a matter of time. She could feel her body as it threatened to break beneath the sheer force of the power flowing through her veins. Her hands raised up, high above her head, and she felt the words at the tip of her tongue. "Silver Moon Crystal! Eternal Power!" The wave of power was immense; silver light shot out across the whole cauldron, enveloping it. Chaos began to scream as the holy light ripped through him, destroying the darkness. And then, in an instant, it was over.

She was falling faster now, her power gone, her strength fading. Ah, I felt it… I felt everyone's power. Her hand clenched into a fist then, as she realized, her body was breaking. Her time was up. But wait.. I can still save everyone... And then, that was it. Her body faded, melting into the cauldron, the power of the silver crystal still illuminating the entire galaxy. From where she stood up on the edge, Sailor Cosmos stared out, her eyes sad, but her smile true. All around her the star seeds were shining, resonating with the glow of the silver crystal; they were preparing for rebirth. So, Eternal Sailor Moon had done it then. She felt the twinge of guilt and she sighed, turning away from the cauldron to instead look upon the faces of the four, young senshi that had arrived on scene only a few minutes before. They were amongst the only surviving senshi, well protected so far in the future… Well, not so well protected. But, there they were, alive and well, brought here by Eternal Sailor Moon's wish for the power of all the senshi. She had not been able to stop what had happened in the future, but Sailor Moon had. And now, she too would have the power to destroy the evil someday. Their time was running short, she had to explain it to these girls, so they could someday explain it to her past self, who was at that very moment awakening once more.

[ x x x ]

How warm… Smells so familar...

Her eyes fluttered open and for several long moments, she lay there, slightly dazed and very confused. "I'm… Alive?" Her vocals were soft as she raised up a hand, inspecting it as if it would disappear before her very eyes. "That's right… I tried to stop Chaos and at the final moment… my body…snapped." She was murmuring aloud, hardly above a whisper, but her vocals were carried across the space as if she were shouting. Where am I… Everyone disappeared… Chaos… The cauldron…

"Usako…"

That voice… A gasp escaped her and she was up, throwing herself forwards. Their hands met and Mamoru was pulling her into his warm embrace. "Usagi!" A chorus of female voices called out, each one distinct in sound, but unified in tone. Over Mamoru's shoulder, she could see them all, gathering around her and Mamoru, their smiles wide and tears flowing. Each girl was dressed in the same white dress as she, each one fresh-faced and unhurt. As if… As if they had been reborn. They were… They were all here!

"We're all okay, thanks to you, Usako," Mamoru said, drawing her hand to his lips to kiss.

"Thank you, for calling to us! For giving us power!" Makoto was saying next, Usagi's eyes falling upon her brunette friend standing beside Setsuna and Hotaru.

"We wanted to be with you, Usagi!" Haruka's voice came next and blue eyes turned to her and Usagi felt her heart melting.

"Usagi! Sorry we couldn't help you." Minako and Rei stood, huddled together in an embrace, hands entwined, tears pooling in both of their eyes.

"Usagi!" A new voice filtered in this time and Usagi felt the presence of a power similar to her own. She turned around and there she was, Chibiusa, all smiles as she floated upon her angelic wings. "I'll be waiting for you, in the 30th Century!" She said with a giggle that she would carry with her until the day of her birth. Chibiusa… She watched as the little girl disappeared in a flash of light, lost to them until then. She felt an arm around her shoulders and she turned back, facing Mamoru who was looking upon her with love. Her eyes fell back upon her friends, the very same look perched upon all of their faces too. They were together again.

"We are as one again." Usagi said aloud, her smile flashing, her eyes filling up. She took a step away from Mamoru then, and Minako was the first to reach out. Usagi ran into her arms, throwing her own around the blonde, each girl crying out as their skin touched. How long… Had it been since they had all been together like this?

We are together again, Usagi thought as the other girls fell into the embrace, hugging one another, though each one longing for their moment with their princess. Finally, their long hard battle was over and they could be happy. Usagi clasped hands with Minako, their heads bent together, golden hair mixing together making it impossible to tell who's was who's. She felt Rei's arms at her waist, felt Ami nudging up beside her, and Makoto behind her. Hovering in the shape of a protective barrier was Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna. Little Hotaru danced around them all, laughing and smiling. They were all here, all of her most precious loved ones. She had done it, she had saved them all. Her heart was soaring. From that day foreward, they would always be together. Always.


End file.
